Studentspotlight
I f you have to have a war, why not have
one that helps people? St. Bernard stu-
dents held a “Penny War” this spring
to see which homeroom could raise
the most money to buy household items
for a Nepalese refugee family brought to
Pittsburgh by Catholic Charities.

Optimistically, the students and teach-
ers were hoping to bring in maybe $1,000
over the course of the six-week cam-
paign. When the pennies (and the occa-
T sional nickel or dime) were counted,
the tally came to $2,799, As a result,
the students were able to buy the fam-
ily enough stuff for a good start here--
sheets, towels, dishes, a vacuum cleaner
and more--and had enough left over to
make donations to the St. Winifred’s Food
Pantry and the Chimbote Mission in Peru.

Pictured above from left are fourth graders
Ellie Grefenstette, Taylor Ransford, Hannah
Schoemer, Katie Freedy, Andrew Jesserer.

hree Mt. Lebanon students will represent Pennsylvania this month at
the national level of the PTA-sponsored Reflections program, an art
competition in which students submit entries in one of six fine arts areas
and then compete at the district, region, state and national levels. This
year’s theme was Beauty is… In the primary division is Natasha Curimbaba, Foster
School, for an original music score. In the middle/junior division is Mira Shenouda,
Jefferson Middle School, with an original musical composition for piano titled
Beauty is Simplicity. In the senior division is Mt. Lebanon High School senior Elena
LaQuatra, who choreographed an original dance number titled Beauty is Peace to
John Lennon’s song Imagine.

For 40 years, the national PTA Reflections Program has encouraged students
across the nation to explore their artistic talents by creating works of art in the areas
725 Washington Road
Pittsburgh Pennsylvania 15228
412-561-2500 www.mtlebanonfloral.net
54 mtl • may 2010
of dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photogra-
phy and the visual arts. More than 500,000 students participate through their local
PTAs annually.